The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-10-29


opera. The Philharmonic Academy of
Bologna unanimously elected him mem
Der, an honor rarely accorded to even ceIe-
brated musicians. 1t was customary, in
joining the Academy, to be required to elab-
orate and complete a stated musical form
before formal admission could be granted.
1t is said that Mozart, although the young
est musician who had ever come up for
membership, wrote out in a finished man.
ner the required composition in much less
time than was ordinarily consumed by older
and more pretentious composers.
His powers of memory were as remark
able as his fertility of invention and COM
position. He was once at Rome with his
father during the celebrated Passion Week.
At that time the miserere from the mass
Of Allegri was performed with all the pomp
and concomitants so effectively used by the
Catholic Church in every age and country.
A miserere, as you may know, is the fifty
first Psalm set to music. The manuscript
of this justly celebrated work was in the
hands Of the church officials, and under no
circumstances was it allowed 10 be used by
any one else. During its rendition the
Cathedral gradually becomes darkened, the
candles Of the singers go out one by one,
and with each diminution voice ceases the
chant, till only one is left, wailing on in
sorrow and contrition. 1t finally dies away,
and the vast room is wrapped in sable ST.
lence.
The effect that night on the susceptible
heart Of young Mozart was indescribable.
When his father turned to leave the church
he found his son lying. on the cold floor in
an almost insensible condition He reused
him with difficulty and led him TO their
lodgings, but while the father slept Mozart
arose, threw open the window, and, with
the moonlight streaming across the paper,
wrote out a fac sinlile of the entire mis-
erere without emitting single note or
making single mistake. That is what
the world calls genius, pure and undefiled.
Mozart's best efforts lie in his operas,
upon which he lavished a wealth of beau
tiful melody, fresh, rhythmical and charm
ing. The benefit his talent gave to that
noble form of composition is incalculabe
Before his time the opera was on dead
level. the arias consisting of tedious round
of passionless runs, with interminable trills
and difficult passages, intended more to
show off the smooth execution of popular
singers. while the orchestration was the
merest background, colorle;s and empty.
Mozart made his orchestras tell different
story. His overtures are effective pre-
monitions of the tragic or comic events
about to take place when the curtain rises
A remarkable story is told concerning
his wonderful mastery of detail in compli-
Gated writing The night previous to the
first performance of one of his most cee-
brated operas he was presiding at u supper
given in honor of the completion of the
new work. 1t was to be rendered the next
morning. During the banquet, while con-
gratulations were showering on the happy
composer beaming at the head of the table,
some one spoke iestingly of the fact that, a
few days before, the overture had not been
written out. Mozart hurriedIy rose and
announced to the speechless guests that in
the press of affairs he had neglected to
write the overture. but iocularly assured
them that he had it composed and stored
away in his head. whence it would soon
come ont at his bidding. Nevertheless he
left for home at once to set to work. The
bappv gathering broke up in silence and
detection No one imagined for an instant
that an overture of merit. a work that eives
occupatiop TO an orchestra of from twenty
10 fttv instruments could he written in the
short time now left Some even suggested
that an overture from one of his other
works had better be used; others thought
that s1ch a proceeding would spoIl the new
onera at once. but ali agreed that a really
GOOD overture worthy Of the opera about
to he oiyeu. could not be written in so short
n time Mozart. however. knew more about
b;s abilities If seems than did his friends.
He wrote ranidlv all NIGHT. the music with
the ink still undried on the paper, was
BROUGHT in from the copyists and about the
proper tins to begin the composer came
stroIlino into the orchestra nit as uncon-
cerned and liebt-bearted as though he
could do that sort of thing any day. 1t
was one of the most famous of all his
famous works. When we think that over
these oyertures composers toll months, and
sometimes years correcting here nolisbino
there and often then Giving the world a
wort that sinks into obscurity and silence
tb;s soot If Mozart is trulv astonishing
Tbo most nleas;no featnres ahnnt his
onaras ae ora ~ nerbans tho beautifnl airs that
rpu tbronob them ike threads of choicest
aold Manv of them bvtbeir subdued half
geIancboIv reI;gions sbadino are especially
ar;.ahlo 70 ho s,Sng 10 tbe words Of bvmns
In L;s wr;t;ncs for n;ano forte il mnst he
confessed that mozart : works are somewhat
oOt;onotod and Thin Ho wrote not So
ramob 80 Jovalono ,be resources of tho in
a4.,,r,ont uum ~ as 70 put dollar in his nocLet
o.arnnad oued' as bo h. nS constontiv was for money
~ o,onarons boort and an inability 10
- - aSana;ollv Honco while b;v n;ono
80 en- e hoort;f,,l tbo,obts tbav
IOe',n S"ra not nearly tho oraatness of his more
aI.ho.ato III 49, ,roris M talonts Law moro in
ela'O@se = i;n &c H. H. ,,,a,s;wa ,ha Iar,,o ,ho
Vne nue ~ ). :. n Tasa IT.